Noise top concern at OLF scoping session

Noise top concern at OLF scoping session
Meeting is one of seven scheduled

By DIANA MAZZELLA
Staff Writer

Wednesday, April 30, 2008

BARCO — Residents raised the issues of pollution and economic impact. But what seemed to matter most to the crowd gathered here Monday was the anticipated effect of noise from the Navy's outlying landing field proposed for nearby Camden County.

A large group of Camden and Currituck county residents responded to the open house invitation to the Navy's first scoping meeting held to hear from residents and to explain the project. The meeting was held in preparation for an Environmental Impact Study that will help the Navy determine which of the two sites in North Carolina and three in Virginia will be selected as the site where pilots can practice for aircraft carrier landings.

Justin Falls/The Daily Advance

(ENLARGE)

Wearing her 'No OLF' hat, Doris Flora (right) speaks with Karen Etheridge during a U.S.Navy 'scoping' meeting on the outlying landing field at the Currituck Cooperative Extension Center, Monday.

Several Currituck residents said they had lived on the outskirts of the Fentress OLF and Naval Air Station Oceana, and said they left that area because of the noise.

"We moved to get away from the exact noise situation that they're talking about," said Moyock resident Linda Lesher.

She said deafening jet noise would create blocks in conversations with neighbors and when watching television. She and her husband, Robert, are concerned about noise over the schools their children attend now, Moyock Elementary and Currituck County High School, as well as the schools their daughter will attend after elementary school.

Robert said it was the noise that caused them to move to Moyock.

"It had a major impact on daily living outside," he said.

Currituck resident Wallace Davis Jr. said he was disappointed to find that Camden's proposed field site is significantly closer to Oceana than the other four sites. The Camden site is 26 nautical miles from Oceana, while the others are 72 miles or more from the air station.

He and his wife, Carolyn, bought 70 additional acres to the north of the proposed Camden site but said they wouldn't have if they had known that it might be so close to a landing site. The lifelong Currituck residents say they bought more than 100 acres in the area to the north of the Blackwater training facility to feel a part of their community. They said economic incentives can't change what the noise impact might have on area residents. Wallace said incentives wouldn't change his mind.

"I'd have to almost say absolutely not," he said. "I think it's a very small reward for what we would have to sacrifice."

Michael Zimmerman, of Moyock, was another resident who moved from southeastern Virginia and also said he wouldn't accept a field in Camden in exchange for incentives.

"They couldn't pay me enough," he said.

Fred Pierson, a civilian with the Navy who has expertise in jet noise, said the most common questions he received were related to how much noise residents would be exposed to at their homes. He said dimensions and sound zones have not been developed for the site because the study has not been completed, so he couldn't tell them that.

"I think there's going to be a lot of questions for a while," Pierson said.

U.S. Fleet Forces Command Media Officer Ted Brown said the concerns he'd heard from residents were similar to what he'd heard before at other OLF meetings. Most want to know how loud it would be outside their house if the site were constructed. Others wanted to know why a floating platform wouldn't work or why property around Fentress couldn't be bought to appease that area's residents.

He said while residents surrounding Fentress are concerned about the field, the Navy is not able to meet all of its training needs by using that one site.

The Navy is holding seven open houses in locations near the five proposed sites within nine days. Brown said the meetings give residents a chance to meet with Navy representatives individually and get some questions answered as well as provide feedback to the Navy.

The public has until June 7 to postmark comments or submit them via the Internet to be taken into account in the impact study. Comments can be mailed to Naval Facilities Engineering Command Atlantic, Attn: Code EV OLF EIS Project Manager, 6506 Hampton Blvd., Norfolk, VA, 23508. Comments can also be submitted online at www.OLFEIS.com.

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Comments

By Tom

Apr 30, 2008 5:19 PM | Link to this

What you really need to understand is that the Navy, Governement is going to do exactly as it pleases and your concerns and worries will be heard and taken account of, but in the long run your opinion really won't matter. The Navy is going to build not only a new OLF, but also a NEW BASE. So be prepared for this to happen. The power of the people is only so strong and no matter what the government will win in the end. Get used to it, if you won't you will be run over.

By USA PATRIOT

Apr 30, 2008 12:20 PM | Link to this

SUPORT THE OLF!!!!!!!
SUPPORT THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENCE!!!
KEEP USA FREE!!!!!

LET THE JETS ROAR!!!!!!

By Tag

Apr 30, 2008 11:08 AM | Link to this

I too believe that Blackwater stands to gain a tremendous amount of financial windfall from any project in the Hale's Lake area. All of those "new" jobs that would be created by the establishment of the OLF could be eaten up by many of the folks already on the empolyment rolls of this company.

Additionally, according to the laws governing the civil service, these jobs would have to be "competed" within the ranks of the civil service or the Navy could stand the chance of expending money due to AFGE labor union litigation.

Lastly, but most importantly, I fervently hope that the Navy, while conducting their EIS, remembers that the environment is not only fish, fowl and farmland. Our people also make up the environment along with their homes and way of life.

By concerned citizen

Apr 30, 2008 10:16 AM | Link to this

You can definitely feel the pain in Mr. Staples post. Folks, this is real and we need to wake up. The showing at Tuesday evening meeting was weak and the Navy was very happy to see this. This site is different from every other site the Navy has identified. Blackwater has a huge influence with our Government and even the Navy said, Blackwater contacted the Navy and initiated this idea. This is a win - win for Blackwater. Think about it; Blackwater has two issues that they deal with on a regular basis, noise and traffic on Puddin ridge road. Noise wont be an issue with F-18's flying, and several new roads will be established once the OLF is a done deal. Look at the money to be made as a contractor, constructing the new site and maintaining the site and Jet's will be like having a lifetime contract with the navy. If Blackwater stock was traded on Wall street I would be buying.

The citizens need to wake up. We have welcomed this company with open arms to our community, now they're kicking us under the bus. The only way we will beat this thing is to unite against this strong special interest, and it wont be easy.

By concerned citizen

Apr 30, 2008 10:09 AM | Link to this

By concerned citizen

Apr 30, 2008 9:34 AM | Link to this

By CD

Apr 30, 2008 8:53 AM | Link to this

Canadian Snow Geese??? What the?? Here's what I think of the geese:
The giant Canada goose subspecies, B. canadensis maxima, formerly bred from central Manitoba to Kentucky. It was nearly driven extinct in the early 1900s. Programs to reestablish the subspecies to it original range were tremendously successful, and in fact, in some places were too successful. The numerous introductions and translocations created a number of resident populations, and the geese have become a nuisance in many urban and suburban areas. Taken from this website: http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Canada_Goose_dtl.html

For get the geese, how about your neighbors!!!!

By Richard N Staples

Apr 30, 2008 1:43 AM | Link to this

Dear Daily Advance

My name is Richard Neal Staples and I am writing to protest the fact that the Navy wants to build an OLF at Hale�s Lake. I have many concerns about this, because Currituck County has long been considered a �Sportsman�s Paradise� as they bill it in the publicity for the County. Yet there seems to have been precious little consideration given to the fact that it violates Federal Wetland Laws to do any sort of construction on an area so designated.

Ranchland, the community in which I live, while not a Federal Wetland, IS directly in the migratory path of the Canadian Snow Geese, which fly in droves directly over my head twice a year on their way back to Canada in one direction, and wherever they go to the South in the other. They won�t like all the racket anymore then I would, but the difference is they have Federal Protection, something which the elderly, established and taxpaying residents of my community don�t seem to enjoy.

There are 158 lots in Ranchland, and so far as I know all have been sold, and approximately 153 of them have people living on them. There are families here, and retired people, old and young, and the Navy�s plan will dislocate us all. I have Cerebral Palsy, Scoliosis, and all three kinds of Spastic Cramps, yet I live here, alone since the death of my mom in 2003, taking advantage of the training I was given in Special Ed school in my youth. However, this plan will put an enormous hardship on me personally and some of my neighbors in particular because, due to my disability, I can only make so much money from the Pension my Father left me and the Social Security I draw from my mom�s fund. I was given to understand that our property will not be condemned, but I doubt many of us can stay here due to the tremendous amount of noise that F-18s generate when they do their touch-and-go landings. The prospect of being forced to move because of this noise worries me, because I will no doubt have to go from independent taxpayer of the county to a ward of the state living on Public Assistance because I can not afford to move out and pay for the additional expenses I would have to incur. The only thing I get from North Carolina itself is Medicaid, which pays my Medicare premium. If this plan goes through the state will have to pay more because of me, because I cant afford to start over, so that means I would have to move into a state facility.

And as bad as it would be for me, it would be harder on some of my neighbors. We are a retirement community, I suppose you could call us, and the constant noise and potential damage to our trailers from the constant over flying will put a major burden on some of my friends.

So please, on behalf of the 153 families of Ranchland, reconsider the sighting of the OLF at Hale�s Lake. I don�t want to have to live through my old age with the constant sound of Jets winging over my head, and given my physical condition, it will be very difficult for me to move anywhere else.

Richard N. Staples

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